Israel planted mines in Lebanon
2006-11-25 13:06
Beirut - Four members of an international demining team have been wounded in an Israeli-laid minefield in southern Lebanon, said a United Nations spokesperson on Saturday.
UN spokesperson Dalya Farran said it was the first evidence of the Jewish state's use of anti-personnel mines in the summer conflict.
One British and one Bosnian deminer working for London-based company ArmorGroup on a United Arab Emirates-funded project had their feet amputated after being struck by a landmine on Friday, she said.
A third deminer, a Lebanese, sustained less serious injuries in the incident in Deir Mimas, close to the Israeli border.
The deminers initially thought the explosions were the result of cluster bombs but a team from another London-based firm, Bactec, went out to investigate on Saturday and another British deminer was wounded in what turned out to be a minefield.
Mines are 'newly planted'
"It is a landmine," said the spokesperson for the UN mine action co-ordination centre. "It is an Israeli No 4 anti-personnel mine. It was newly planted during the summer conflict.
"It is the first evidence we have at the UN that Israel used landmines during the latest war."
Asked how the deminers knew that the mines were newly planted, Farran said the Deir Mimas area had been demined after previous conflicts.
"When you're an expert and you see a minefield, you know if it's newly planted - the mines remain shiny and obviously fresh," she said.
A landmark 1997 treaty ratified by 151 nations banned the use, manufacture or stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines.
About 40 countries remain outside the treaty, including major powers such as China, Russia and the United States, and Israel.
"We plan that, by the end of the day, we will be issuing a statement on what action we as the UN plan to take," she said.